Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra Undercarriage Rust

Comments

I also wanted to state that the 2000 Chevy Silverado that is used at the place I work still runs like a top and shifts great< however it cannot be driven on the road because the frame is rusted through in 3 different places and the body has cancer so bad that if falls off in chunks when you shut the doors, I had a used 1987 GMC Sierra that was the same scenario ran great, but rusted out up to the windows!!! I have a 2010 that will probably not last the five years I have to pay on it unless I spend thousands of dollars every spring to keep it rust free, that's just plain a sham!! I sure would love to have my money Back! I did contact the NHSTA about my problem. I also wax and wash on a regular basis, and am starting to notice that the lower half of the truck is starting to pit up and will not take a shine!!! I will post this on every forum I can find!!!

kendonhank,I'm sorry you feel this way and have had a bad experience; however, the department and I are proof that GM cares and they are trying to reach customers they were unable to reach before. We handle everything on a case by case basis and at the very least I like to look into customer situations to try to provide some assistance.Christina GM Customer Service

You might care Christina, but GM does not. GM refuses to cover ANY corrosion under it's warranty, so your efforts are moot. You have no authority to do anything to help any of the people on this forum. You simply take notes and relay them GM area managers, who then do nothing to address the problem, per GM policy.

If GM cared, they would stand behind their warranty instead of giving customers the runaround and forcing them to sue in order to get satisfaction.

GM is a sham, a failed company bailed out by the taxpayers, with no clue about how to produce a quality product or satisfy its customers.

Think BIG TOBACCO...delay...deny...frustrate...plead ignorance...ignore...reposition as "THE, NEW-CARING...WE LISTEN AND WE CARE COMPANY" ...TRY DEFIANCE ! TRY ANY GOTDAM THING THAT WILL KEEP US FROM LIABILITY AND ADMISSION THAT WE KNEW WE WERE SELLING JUNK FRAMES...SUBSTANDARD STEEL. Hire a slew of professional metallurgists that can be bought, to swear under oath that the junk we pushed on customers were of the highest automotive quality, after all, TOBACCO had MEDICAL DOCTORS !!!

Imagine one of these disasters someday being a...CLASSIC? A CLASSIC WORTH RESTORING? THERE WON"T BE ANY.

STILL THE SAME FAILED LOSERS IN CHARGE WHO BUILT JUNK LONG ENOUGH TO KILL THE INDUSTRY...TODAY, UNION GOONS OWN THE COMPANY.

A GIGANTIC CLASS-ACTION SUIT IS INEVITABLE AND THE SETTLEMENT WILL NOT BE COUPONS FOR A CAR WASH !

I am also so tired of watching my truck Rot away Had to replace all the shock mounts and the cross member under the bed and countless brake lines rocker panels are all but gone and now the bottoms of the doors are rotting it seems like its never gonna end I wish I had a spare 30 grand around to get a new truck not A Chevy but unfortunately I don't. I definitely want in on a class action if one is made.

I have done the same, and also written to my Congressmen, who has contacted NHTSA and asked them to expedite the matter. Google your Congressman and send him a brief letter with a copy of your complaint.

Ask him what the status of the investigation is and why it's taking so long.

You will get absolutely nothing from a class-action lawsuit. First of all, no one makes money in these things except the attorneys. Second, the most you'll get is a coupon... worth a few thousand dollars, assuming you actually redeem it. And the defendant corporation in such suits knows full well that many people won't bother, which saves them even more money. I'm sure some of you have received letters or emails from attorneys who sued computer manufacturers, utility and communication companies, and the like for class action settlements that amount to a $10-25 coupon or credit to your account.

Auto manufacturers only warrant the sheetmetal against rust perforation, as the painting procedure is intended to prevent this. For those that want to do some research, note that the Toyota Tacoma frame rust issue was not remedied by a recall or lawsuit. Toyota instituted a "Customer Satisfaction" program to buy back 1995-2000 trucks, and replace the frames on 2001-2004 models. Note that Toyota recognizes some of these trucks will never be brought in for inspection, there are conditions involved for specific situations, and the model years being bought back are old enough that the settlement amount is tolerable to their bottom line.

Ranting and raving does nothing. I'm sure the majority of you would think the same if one of your business customers came in screaming like a lunatic about something that your company clearly put in writing. When they're done yelling, you would point out what they agreed to and send them on their way. GM is no different.

The way to get a solution is to work with them, not against them. Instead of threats (whether of lawsuits, media coverage, or lost future sales), a far more successful method is to say something to the effect of "I like my truck, but I noticed this problem. What can be done so I'm confident in buying another one in a couple of years?" I've actually done this a number of times, and my concerns have always been addressed.

I have first hand knowledge that you do not have. I have also seen more than a hundred emails from other owners of late model GM trucks with the same problem. GM is doing nothing to address it.

First, the undercarriage is protected against corrosion with a coating, in addition to the use of corrosion resistant steel. The vital structural and safety components are supposed to last the life of the vehicle, not a couple of years.

Second, you do not understand GM's position on its warranty. GM does not warranty any corrosion on the vehicle caused by the environment, despite the misleading language they provide on rust through. That includes sheet metal and the undercarriage. They may fix a minor problem as part of what they call "Good Will", but they will tell you that they are not obligated under the warranty.

Third, there is no "working with" GM on this problem. I took it to the top of the company. They will not fix an undercarriage corrosion problem, regardless of how the vehicle was used, where it was purchased, how it was maintained, etc. They have stated this in court testimony.

Toyota initiated its buy back program after NHTSA did its investigation and found the vehicles lacking, and after the widespread negative publicity. Toyota stonewalled its customers for years before the adverse publicity finally forced them to act.

GM is doing the same thing now, and making nice with them will not get you a resolution, just months of runaround. Like any big bureaucracy, they would rather litigate and take their chances than admit the problem and fix it.

That's one of the reasons they went out of business the first time and why they will go out of business again.

No one was entitled to a 100% stainless steel alloy truck. Where did GM promise in writing that their vehicles were rust-free? The coatings applied to the frames are not a guarantee of rust prevention.

The reason they state rust due to environment is not covered is because they have no control over the environment. No manufacturer is going to cover rust on a truck sold to a DOT or public works department that is used as a salt-spreader in winter, or beach patrol by the ocean. So they're not going to cover a truck owned by anyone else for similar corrosion.

Toyota Tacomas are still not under recall for frame rust. The buyback and frame replacement programs are not open to every truck in the affected model years. There are trucks in those model years that have no sign of frame perforation that has put other Tacomas out of service.

I live in the northeast and I deal with road salt every winter. Having owned full-size pickups exclusively for over 20 years, I recognize that rust is a possibility. So I pay extra to have my trucks treated before delivery. Does that prevent rust? Of course not. Does it slow rust formation way down? Yes, it does. I don't expect the manufacturer to cover it; I address it myself before it happens.

Writing to the manufacturer CEO is a waste of time. It will be read by a staff member and forwarded back down the chain. Again, the key is not to be combative - the manufacturers have legal teams that do nothing but handle the ranters... and they're very good at what they do. With all the correspondence you say you have made, you have likely been labeled as such a customer. And for every one of you, there are 1000 people who will still buy a Silverado or Sierra.

I'm not saying your concerns are not legit; but your methods of addressing those concerns could be the reason you aren't getting a positive reaction.

They are however entitled to a truck that will be essentially rust free over the period of the warranty provided it is not abused or operated in a way that the truck was not intended to be operated. They are certainly entitled to a truck that will maintain structural integrity and be safe to operate within the warranty period, and really, for the intended life of the truck.

I have lived all over the country, including the Northeast, and have plowed in the winter. I had a Ford truck for ten years not garaged on the ocean in the Northeast with zero rust. My brother has a 20 year old Chevy that was used as a plow truck, never washed or maintained, with virtually zero undercarriage rust. I have seen thousands of vehicles is all sorts of uses and never have I seen anything near this type of corrosion in such a short time.

The GM trucks we are talking about are rusting prematurely, sometimes within months of delivery. And not just in rust belt areas. all over the country. One rusted within a year in a semi-desert area.

I agree that writing to GM is a waste of time, because they have no interest in standing behind their products. That's why they went bankrupt and headed that way again. However, you are required to put your complaints in writing prior to taking legal action, which I did.

I am not recommending that anyone take legal action, because it is expensive, and as you say, GM has very good attorneys. What I have suggested is that they report their safety issues to NHTSA and let their Congressman know. I suspect an NHTSA recall or adverse finding and some bad publicity might just get GM's attention.

I have dealt with hundreds of companies on many different issues and I have never seen a company stonewall and obfuscate like GM, and that includes the federal government. They are in a class by themselves.

Anything GM could do to help people out of this rot situation the better! I just put almost 2 thousand into wheel bearings brakes shocks and tires, before i noticed the front frame section had a small rot hole that grew quite large very quickly. This is in a 1999 suburban 2500, with only 110,000 miles on it! I babied this truck, washed it every weekend and went to the extent of inserting the hose into the frame to rinse out debris sand etc. And now she sits, unable to be driven, not worth a dime except in parts. I keep saying if this was a toyota i would be taken care of. Thats why when we needed a new family car we bought a hyundai!! I cant wait till a foreign company produces a full size 3/4 ton truck! Thats what I will be buying if Gm doesnt man up and help us out with this problem.

We too were considering a Chevrolet for a family car, but considering the way things are going with my first new GM purchase, we too bought a Hyundai!!If they build a fullsize work capable truck, I am on board!It may be taht a new truck from GM is only a $28000 deal, not much to them, but about what the average person makes per year in my area!

I found about 3 complaints of rust specifically on 2000-2006 Silverados.There were many complaints about the tailgate cables breaking. These are complaints made directly to NHTSA. According to these statistics and considering the number of vehicles sold this seems to be a non-issue.

I have a 2006 and live in New York and I see NO rust on frame or body.I find it suspect that about half of the posts on this thread are made byabout 2 posters.

I have received over a 100 emails from GM truck owners all over the country complaining of brake failures and other premature corrosion issues. NHTSA has a couple hundred complaints on file and is conducting an investigation.

If it was a minor issue, GM would just take care of the handful of cases and replace the vehicles at very little cost. I suspect the problem is more widespread and they are covering up.

I have no doubt that you and many others are having rust problems withyour trucks. I think living near the ocean as is your case can have a very real effect on the frame and body. I recently worked on a mid 2000 FordF-250 Police vehicle that does duty on Fire Island here on Long Island. The paint was pitted in spots. I never see that on that year Ford on anything driven inland.

Also many pick up trucks around here are used to haul boats in and out of the salt water bays via boat ramps resulting in the total immersion of the frame and lower body in salt water.

That could be the case in many (not all of course) of the complaints. If you go to link title and search "rust" in complaints the first complaint for a Chevy truck is page 8 of the search. Most of them are for Toyota, with quite a few for Hyundai, Nissan, Honda and a smattering of Fords. I conclude that the rust problem for the GM pickups are no worse and might be and probably is better than the competition.

What part of NY do you live in? I am in the Adirondack MTs. and there is more rust on my 1 year old GMC than there was on my 9 year old Dodge! I can show you about 100 trucks in backyards from roughly 1998-2005, sitting in back yards, rusted so bad that they cannot be driven. They claim that they are "the longest lasting trucks on the road", which may be true, they are on the road, just not moving!

I live on Long Island. While we don't have the amount of snow that people get upstate we have been averaging 3 or 4 major snowstorms and 4 or 5 minor storms per winter and they use alot of salt on the roads..

I have a 2006 Silverado. I looked underneath it today and saw almost no rust. There was some in the front end parts, but only a little. The guy next to me at work has a 2005 Silverado and a 2006 Colorado and I examined both and saw again very little rust.

Can you take a picture of the one year old GMC? If you would like I'll take a picture of mine and we can compare.